Coming Together Again
by xo.katniss.mellark.ox
Summary: Post mocking jay - pre epilogue - This is the story of how Katniss and Peeta come together again. Will they ever be allowed to live a happy life? Whats going to become of them? There are many ups and downs, but together they will get through it. Or will they? Eventual Epilogue
1. Returning home

**A/N** Hey guys! This is my first story so I hope you like it! This story will be in Katniss's perspective and in Peeta's.

**Peeta**

It's been a while since I've seen Katniss. She and Haymitch were sent back home about a month ago. I've been kept here because, well let's face it, I need more help than this doctor can offer.

I mean, he's pretty good. But all he does is ask me how im feeling and if I think there can be a future between me and Katniss. But after all I just went through, I still can't get her out of my mind.

"Katniss." I say in a weak voice. It's been a while since I've spoken. I've just been nodding my head or making a face.

"Ah yes Peeta." Says Dr. Aurelius. "How do you feel about her?"

I have to think for a moment. I really want to say that I miss her, I want to see her, and I might still love her. Not that I ever , not even when the capital hijacked me. I may have wanted to kill her, something I still hate myself for, but deep down there will always be a spot for her. I mean who else can I love? Haymitch is...Haymitch, and most of my friends are dead except Delly. My whole family is dead…

I feel a flashback coming on, so I grip the sides of the chair I'm sitting on as the venom surges through my veins.

"Peeta?" I hear Dr. Aurelius calling me.

"Peeta are you okay?"

"I'm f-fine." I lie. I'm everything but fine.

_She killed your family Peeta._

"N-No she didn't. Snow did"

_That's just what she wants you to believe Peeta. She killed your family. She doesn't love you she never did. She was just pretending the whole time! She really loves gale!_

"NO SHE DOESN'T" I scream at the voice in my head.

_Oh Peeta. She's a no good dirty little unloving mutt._

"Mutt." I say the word, testing how it feels to say it.

"Mutt." Somewhere in my brain I know she's not a mutt. But the voice in my head is starting to convince me as the tracker jacker venom takes over.

"Mutt. SHE'S A STINKING MUTT! SHE KILLED MY FAMILY! SHE KILLED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE!"

That's the last thing I get out before I needle gets stuck in my arm and I pass out.

I wake up in a hospital bed. Great. One of the places I hate being. Dr. Aurelius come in the room.

"Peeta. Glad to see you've awoken."

"Wha-What happened?"

"You had a flashback." He answers.

"Was it bad?"

"It depends on what you think 'bad' is."

"Did it have to do with Katniss?"

"All of your flashbacks have to do with Katniss, Peeta. That's why you were hijacked after all."

"Oh…" Is all I say. I wonder how Katniss is doing. Knowing her, she must be having nightmares every night. And I want to be there to comfort her. To tell her I'm there for her. I mean my nightmares are awful and im in a hospital. While Katniss is in the district with piles of ash and memories of her sister...

"When can I see her, Dr.?"

"Peeta you are not in the condition to be seeing Katniss right now! What if you have a fl-"

"Look, I know I'm asking for the world right now, but I want to see her. I want to know if she's okay, and I want to comfort her. We can help each other. Plus keeping me locked up in this hospital isn't going to do you, me or these doctors any good. You might as well let me see her."

"Hmmph. I guess you do make a valid point there. Plus your progress with your hijackings has been tremendous. You haven't had very many. I guess I could let you go. But when you do, tell Katniss I can't keep pretending I'm treating her forever. She needs to pick up the phone!"

With that I smile. I'm finally going to be able to see Katniss!


	2. Seeing Katniss

**Four days later**

**Peeta**

I finally get back to district twelve. There are still piles of ashes lying around, but the construction has started already. I get back to my house just as I start to hear geese. I turn around and I see Haymitch yelling and chasing the geese around.

"No flipping way…"

"Get! Get back in this pen you dumb geese! Whose dumb idea was it to keep these geese anyway?"

Finally, he gives up and flops on the ground in defeat.

I decide to walk over there and see how he's doing

"You alright?" I say, reaching out my hand to help him up.

"Ah boy! Fancy seeing you here! Did uh…Katniss see you yet?" He asks.

I sigh. Does it always have to come back to Katniss? I barely said two words and we are already talking about her.

"Hmm no I just got in." I say

"From where?"

"The capital. They wouldn't let me leave 'till now."

"I'm surprised they let you leave at all.

No offense."

"None taken. I know how much help I need."

"Listen, boy. Do you know where you are now?"

"Uhh yeah im in your backyard."

"No! I mean just think of where you were before all of this. Just the boy with the bread. Now you're free from the capital. You survived two games and a war. From all you went through, it's perfectly fine to need healing."

I think about what he said. I already knew I need healing. But what comes to my mind is how Katniss is healing.

"How is Katniss doing?"

Haymitch looks a little embarrassed.

"Actually, I don't know."

"I thought you were sent here to look after her"

"I know, but Sae has been doing a damn fine job with keeping up with her. But I just wanted to give her some space 'ya know? You know how Katniss can be sometimes."

That's true. I do know how Katniss can be.

"Okay well if you're not going to check on her I will."

"Whatever boy. Just don't rush things okay."

_"__Don't rush things?_ What does he think I mean by I'm going to check on her? I'm going to walk in her house, lift her off her feet and kiss her? Even though I really would like to, I know Katniss doesn't know how she feels about me. She never has, anyway."

"She will come around."

"What?"

I just realized I said all of that out loud. Oops.

"I said she will realize she can't live without 'ya boy!"

"Oh. Well see you later Haymitch."

"Whatever boy."

I already know what is causing Katniss's distress. The fact that prim died. She was her pride and joy. She sacrificed herself just to save her from dying, and she died anyway. I can say I knew her well, from all of the times I was at Katniss's house, or teaching her to bake. She was so young and so sweet and fragile. Like Rue…

All of a sudden I find myself running toward district twelve's fence. I get some very odd looks, but nothing I haven't seen before. I find a hole and walk in. not that's it's very hard, there are holes everywhere. It's beautiful in here. No wonder Katniss loves the woods so much.

I decide to plant some bushes on the side of Katniss's house. I never really thought about Prim, or given her a remembrance like I did with Rue, when I painted that picture during the quell.

I borrow a wheel barrow and pick five primrose bushes. I wheel them back to Katniss's house. As I begin digging, my face gets a little flustered and I become a little sweaty. All of a sudden I hear Katniss screaming from a nightmare. It takes every ounce in my body to stop myself from running in there.

_No Peeta! You heard what Haymitch said. Give her some space_ I get lost in the digging when I hear someone open the door. Sae? No it's Katniss. She says in a weak voice, "your back." It was probably her first time speaking in a while.

" wouldn't let me leave the capital until yesterday," I say. I remember what he told me. "By the way, he said to tell you he can't keep pretending he's treating you forever. You have to pick up the phone"

I feel her taking me in. she looks…defeated.

I at least tried to make my self look presentable. Katniss's clothes are wrinkled and her skin is just like mine, thin and covered in burn scars. I feel myself frowning as I take her in. She makes a half hearted attempt to push her hair out of her eyes, where she realizes that it is matted I clumps.

She still looks beautiful as ever.

"What are you doing?"

"I went to the woods this morning and dug these up. For her," I say, referencing Prim. "I thought we could plant them along the side of the house."

She looks like she is about to scream when a flicker of emotions come across her face. She gives a curt nod, and then leaves me alone to continue digging. I try to take in what I just saw. She looked lost and unsure, and she made no effort to hide it. That's no like her at all. She is still healing.

After I finish, I decide to head back home. There is nothing left to do here. I start to paint what her house looked like, after i finished planting the primroses. i paint for a few more hours,some of them are plants some are places, but most of them are Katniss. I can't get her out of my head no matter how hard i try. I sigh. It's 9:00 before i finally stop painting and go to bed. Tonight, i dream about Katniss. No surprise there!

**A/N****Wow! That was a pretty nice chapter if you ask me! I'm going to update the soonest would be two days so stay tuned!**


	3. Moving too fast

**A/N****Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I know i said the earliest i would update would be in two days, but this is a Christmas eve special!**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Peeta<span>**

After seeing Katniss yesterday, I decide to go and see Haymitch. I know he told me not to rush things, and to leave her alone, but to be honest I just want things to go back to the way they were before the quell.

How Katniss and I would work on her plant book everyday, and it would take out minds off what was going on in our complicated lives. I guess you could say I miss the old days, where I still had Katniss right by my side, before out homes were set ablaze by Snow.

But I know that things will never be that way again. I guess there is still a little ray of hope in me. That maybe, just maybe, Katniss and I can be reunited again.

I mean we did it before. After the first games, when I thought she didn't love me. Then on our victory tour we became friends. Then we reconnected at the quell. So maybe it is possible.

I walk the short distance to Haymitch's house. It feels weird to walk here again after all of the times I have walked down this road. After the first games, when I saw Haymitch all wet after Katniss dumped water on him. I smile at the thought.

And then when I wanted to save Katniss and spare myself after I found out about the quell.

_Old memories._ I think

I arrive at Haymitch's house and knock on the door. After he doesn't answer I decide to walk in. When I arrive in the kitchen I see him…what? Eating soup? Not passed out?

"Haymitch are you all right?"

"Yes I'm fine. Why?"

"Well for starters your clothes are kind of clean, and your not passed out!

"Ah, well I'm waiting for the new shipment of bottles to come in so I'm just raising the geese."

"Oh. Okay that makes a lot more sense."

"You got a reason for coming here boy?"

I sigh. It's now or never.

"Yeah. Um listen."

"I'm listening."

"I know you said to leave Katniss alone to 'heal', but I just want to see her! To know if she is alright, to hold her and t-to kiss her…"

"I knew you would say this. I know you better than you know yourself, eh boy?"

"Maybe it is true, Haymitch. But telling me to stay away is not going to help me stay away. And how do you expect her to heal without me? You know how bad the nightmares can get."

"Alright boy. You can see her. But no kissing yet! Unless you know, she wants to."

At this I smile and blush. The thought of kissing Katniss is an amazing feeling, but will Katniss want to kiss? Is she still hung over prim? Does she even still love me?

_Of course she love you Peeta._ I think._ She always has right?_

But sometimes I don't know if she loves me. I don't even know if she wants to see me.

"So, uh, can I see her right now?" I ask.

"Whatever. Just remember what I said. What I say has gotten you this far in the game. No need to stop listening now." With that he smirks.

"Go on kid. Go get her."

At that I race out of the house, but start walking like I have some sense in me. I get to her door and hesitate a little before I knock. When I do, Sae opens up the door.

"Oh, what a wonderful surprise! Hello Peeta!

I'm guessing you're here to see Katniss?"

"Oh yes. Is she here?"

"Oh I'm afraid she has gone hunting! But don't worry; she'll be back in a few. Come on in."

I walk in behind Sae and sit on her couch as I wait for her to come home. A little while later Sae comes and sits next to me.

"You know you've been good for her."

"What? How?"

"Well she hasn't left this house since you came! And now she's huntin' and brushing her hair to and lookin' nice! All for you!"

"For me?" I ask confused.

"Yes boy. You have no idea what you have done for her."  
>"Ha yes. Literally."<p>

"Ah. Here she comes now!" Sae gets up and goes back to the kitchen. That was the happiest I have ever seen her.

"Katniss! You've got a visitor!"

"It better not be Haymitch! He hasn't bothered to check on me at all!" Katniss says.

_So she knows._ I think

When she walks in she stops dead in her tracks.

"Peeta."

**Katniss**

I don't really know who else I expected to be there. I mean, who else would bother coming to my house and waiting for me? Only Peeta. Why would he be here?

My insides get all tingly, but I don't know why. I have not seen Peeta since that day he was planting those bushes. And i still don't know how i feel about him!

"Katniss!" he says with a smile.

I decide to sit down.

"Um hello Peeta. How are you doing?"

I say so casually im not even sure if it was me who said it.

"Well um, I came to see you! And uh, I guess you could say I'm…"

He hesitates before he answers.

"I'm still healing.

"Aren't we all? I mean is still can't get over…her."

Suddenly tears come to my eyes. I walk over to the couch and sit down. All I can think about is Prim. Not that I have ever stopped thinking about her.

I desperately want Peeta to hold me in his strong arms again, but I know that Peeta really doesn't love me anymore. I mean, who could love this?

_Of course Peeta loves you. He wanted to sacrifice his life to save you. _I think.

_Well so did I! And I loved him then I guess… but that's just how Peeta is! He would sacrifice his life to save Haymitch! He doesn't love me! No one does. My mom abandoned me twice! Prim is gone. Gale is gone. Everyone I ever loved is gone so I can't love Peeta. Because even if he loved me, he would be gone just like everyone else I loved._

"Katniss? Are you okay?" I hear Peeta calling.

"Y-yeah."

"Come on Katniss. Do you take me as a fool?"

"Do you really want an answer?" I joke. It's funny how I can joke at a time like this.

He smiles. And I find me self staring at Peeta. He sure is a looker. He said he noticed every girl but never went for them because of me. And those blue eyes…

Suddenly I feel myself leaning in, and so is Peeta. Just as I am about to touch his lips, and feel the feeling I have been missing for months, he pulls away.

"I- I'm sorry Katniss. I just can't." he says and looks away.

"Is it because you don't love me?"

"Wha-What?" He asks stunned. "How could you ever say that? You know I have always loved you. I never stopped. Even when you didn't love me."

I cringed at that.

"I loved you Peeta. I just didn't want to say so because I thought when you were hijacked, you didn't love me."

"You know that's not true. Snow did not succeed when he tried to make me hate you. He didn't win at all. Look at where he is now. Dead."

"Like all our friends and family. Maybe he did win. And we were just too stupid to realize it."

"He did not win. He tried to take you away from me. He tried to take me away from you. And look how great that turned out. I'm sitting on your couch about to kiss you." He smirks.

"And by the way, I couldn't kiss you because Haymitch told me not to rush things with you. Unless you know, you wanted it."

"Well Peeta Mellark, maybe I do want it." I say as I lean in again. And this time, my lips reach his.


	4. A broken heart

**Peeta **

What just happened between me and Katniss wasn't a dream was it? I mean I just talked to her for the second time in a long time and I had already kissed her?

Okay. So I didn't listen to Haymitch. At all. I basically disobeyed every single thing he said. Not to rush things, which I did. Not to kiss her. Which I did. It was just one kiss, I mean, right? Plus Katniss obviously wanted it. Point blank. And it was an amazing kiss. Sure, it felt like all of the other kisses we had exchanged, but with a twist of...love and confusion.

Knowing Katniss, that will probably never happen again. It was just a one time thing. But it felt, well, good. Good to know that Katniss does love me. That she knows I love her.

But how could she think that I didn't love her? She must have known even hijacked that I loved her. Plus during the journey to Snows mansion, she did kiss me, after i refused to go on after Finnick was blown to bits and and i was having a flash back. I mean just because I tried to strangle her twice, gave her the cold shoulder after I was hijacked, was very jealous of her and Gale, and tried to kill myself twice i didn't love her anymore?

_Whoa. _I think. That's a lot worse than I thought. I sit down on my couch to think about it. I must have scared the living hell out of her. I mean, she never did things that bad to me. I was a monster!

She only acted like she didn't love me, kissed Gale four times, tried to sacrifice herself for me even when she knew that's what I was doing, tried to kill me when she found out about the rebels plan on the hovercraft, which Haymitch told me thank you very much, and was so scared of me she went to another district.

_Wow. _ I think. We_ must be the worst couple alive._ That brings back some memories. Memories that most of the couples that were standing strong, case and point Finnick and Annie's relationship, are not strong anymore, and don't even have both people. And it also reminds me that we are not a couple, no. we are… allies. That brings me back to a while ago. When we were in the capital, trying to bring them down. We were at the camp, and it was Katniss's turn to watch me.

_It was midnight. Boggs told me to sleep out in full view where the rest of the squad could keep an eye on me. I knew why, too. So i didn't go berserk and try to kill someone. Or myself, for that matter. I wasn't sleeping, though. Instead, I sat with my bag pulled up to my chest, clumsily trying to make knots in a short length of rope that Finnick gave me. _

_I couldn't sleep. I could only think about why coin sent me here. To kill…her. I came here to either be killed, or to keep an eye on Katniss. I had no intention to kill Her. Even though I had tried. I shudder at the thought._

_It was the hijacking Peeta. I think. I still have my doubts._

_So I just laid there. With the sounds of soldiers' breathing filling the night._

_I begin to think about how Katniss loved me, didn't love me, thought she loved me. Really did love me. In the first games, when she tried to kill me. Then she saved me. Then she tried to save me in the quell. Then she tried to kill me on the hovercraft, which I was not on._

I decide to say what I had been thinking out loud. "These last couple of years must have been exhausting for you. Trying to decide whether to kill me or not. Back and forth. Back and forth."

I can see her about to say something cutting and insulting for sure, which is just like her. But then her expression softens.

_"I never wanted to kill you. Except when I thought you were helping the Careers kill me. After that, I always thought of you as...an ally." That's a…interesting word. Empty of any emotional obligation, and Possible love, but non threatening._

_"Ally." I say the word slowly, tasting it. Suddenly all of the other words I have heard about her flash through my head._

_"Friend. Lover. Victor. Enemy. Fiancée. Target. Mutt. Neighbor. Hunter. Tribute. Ally. I'll add it to the list of words I use to try to figure you out." _

_I say as I weave the rope in and out of my fingers. It's hard to tell if people are being real or fake, with all these shiny images flashing through my mind. "The problem is, I can't tell what's real anymore, and what's made up."_

_The cessation of rhythmic breathing suggests that either people have woken or have never really been asleep at all. Probably eavesdropping._

_Finnick's voice rises from a bundle in the shadows. "Then you should ask, Peeta. That's what Annie does."_

_"Ask who?" I say. "Who can I trust?" after those tapes from the capital and district 13, who can I trust? How can I know they are tell the truth and not lying to protect me?_

_"Well, us for starters. We're your squad," says Jackson._

_"You're my guards," I point out. They are there to keep me in check._

_"That, too," she says. "But you saved a lot of lives in Thirteen. It's not the kind of thing we forget."_

_That was nothing. Plus. That was the biggest mistake I have ever made. That's when the capital started to hijack me. I'm pretty sure they had plans to do that before anyway._

_I start to think about Katniss, seeming as I can never get her out of my mind. I think about the tour, how she ran out after screaming at Effie. I remember her telling me her favorite color is green, because I painted different shades of it every night._

_I turn to Katniss again. "Your favorite color...it's green?"_

_"That's right. And yours is orange."_

_"Orange?" I say unconvinced. I don't remember saying this._

"Not bright orange. But soft. Like the sunset," she says. "At least, that's what you told me once."

"Oh." I close my eyes briefly, trying to conjure up that sunset, trying to remember that memory. Then I nod my head. Remembering this being said.

_"Thank you." I say, Really meaning it._

But more words tumble out from her.

_"You're a painter. You're a baker. You like to sleep with the windows open. You never take sugar in your tea. And you always double-knot your shoelaces." She tells me than dives back into her tent._

_Ah more memories._ I get up, deciding to tell Haymitch all about what just happened between me and Katniss. It's weird how much I confide in him now.

I take the short trip there and walk straight in, knowing his liquor hasn't come yet. I see him watching his television set. Well the television is on with some opera singing show, but he is passed out.

_Great._ I think._ He doesn't even need liquor to pass out._

"Hey Haymitch!" I yell. He doesn't budge.I shake him. Still nothing. I really don't want to do this, but if it will wake him up then I will.

I go and fill a basin with icy cold water and just as I am about to pour it on his head he snaps awake.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Sorry. I couldn't shake you awake."

"Don't become the next Katniss, Peeta."

I sigh.

"Speaking of Katniss…"

"What happened? She's pregnant isn't she?"

"Wh-What? No why would you think that! We haven't slept in the same bed in months! And it was only to ward away nightmares."

"Yeah okay. So why are you here, for the second time today, at that?"

"Well, I uh, kissed Katniss."

"Oh course you did." He sighs. "Listen. The reason I told you not to kiss her, or to rush her, which you did! It's bec-"

"Wait a minute!" I cut in.

"I didn't rush her! She was staring at me, then she looked in my eyes and she leaned in. then I told her I couldn't do it because of what you said!" I say.

"Then we went into detail about how she thought I didn't love her, and how I thought she didn't love me, and how she was just afraid, then I told her what you said, about not kissing her unless she wanted it, and she said, and I quote, 'well Peeta Mellark, maybe I do want it' and then she leaned in and kissed me. And let me say that Sae said that me coming back has changed her. Until I came she didn't even leave her house!" I argue.

"Let's face it Haymitch. Keeping us apart isn't going to do us very good. Plus, I'm pretty sure that was just a one time thing. I mean you know how Katniss can be." I say with a smirk.

"Oh what am I going to do with you kids?" Haymitch says.

"You can let us be."

"Yeah. I'm going to let you two be. Ha you're funny Peeta. Real funny." With that he leaves the room. I decide to leave his house.

On the walk home, I see Katniss on her way somewhere, so I run to catch up with her.

"Hey I say."

"Hey." She replies.

"So, uh where ya' headed?"

"Into the great unknown." She jokes.

"I'm actually going to give some meat to Sae as a thank you."

"Oh. Mind if I head along?"

"No. I don't mind at all Peeta."

She starts to look into my eyes.

_Here we go again._ I think.

"What are you thinking about?"

"you."

"Listen Peeta." She starts

"About earlier…I'm sorry if I made you confused. But I don't know what came over me." She sighs then looks away.

"What- no it's alright Katniss. We were just caught up in the moment."

"It's just that, well I feel like were rushing things. I mean I've barely spoken to you and now were kissing? I feel a little weird kissing you. Maybe we can get to know each other a little bit better, then maybe start kissing?"

When she says this it breaks my heart. But I knew this would happen. And she said we can get to know each other better then we can kiss. Maybe. She never said we would never kiss again. I put all my thoughts behind me and answer her.

"Yeah um, I think that would be best." I try to say confidently but my voice catches at the end.

Katniss turns away from me, but before she does I see her tears. I turn to her and look her in the eyes.

"What's wrong?" i say as i rest my hand on her cheek. she puts her hand on mine.

"I just feel like I keep breaking your heart time after time. I broke you heart so many times I can't count them on my fingers!" she exclaims.'

"Katniss, you didn't break my heart. This is what's best for us."

"Oh Peeta. I know you don't want us to be 'just friends'."

She's right I don't. But I will go along with it, I guess.

"Okay, so maybe I don't, but I will for your sake. I just don't want to lose you again."

"Again?"

"Yeah. Like how I did that night of the quell. When we let the separate us. Surly you remember that."

"I do. That was the biggest mistake I have ever made. No pulling out those berries was."

"Katniss don't be silly. If you had never pulled out those berries, we wouldn't be here!"

"What here with thousands dead? With my mother gone? With everyone I love gone! With Prim dead?"

"No! With no Hunger games! With both of us! Free of the capital! Together! It doesn't matter what we are, or where we are. As long as we are together."

Katniss looks up at me unbelievably.

"You love me. Real or not real?" I ask, grabbing her hands and tangle them in mine.

"Wha- Peeta? I-I-"

"You love me real or not real!" I demand.

"Real." She answers. With that I smile, kiss her temples, and walk away.


	5. The idea

**A/N Hey guys! I know i said i wouldnt ****update,**** but I had already pre-written this chapter and i didn't want to wait! I'm sorry if there are alot of mistakes, i just got a tablet for christmas, and im still figuring out the keyboard and some of he fonts aren't working! And i usually use the computer but my dad is on it and i'm bursting with ideas! I couldn't wait to post!**

**Katniss**

I think I did a good job with Peeta. I mean, I told him how I felt. I told him my love was real. And it's true. I really do love him. But I feel much better knowing that I didn't break his heart. This time, at least. It just came out of no where though. Him asking me if I loved him? If my love was real? I can see where his doubts came from. But I had already told him I loved him from earlier that day. Why would he need to hear it again?

I decide to let the thought drift off as I get ready for the day. I get up and take a long shower to think about what i want to do for the rest of the day. And it's a good time waster. After that I brush my hair and braid it in my very familiar and reconizable braid. After I get dressed I look in the mirror. I look like myself. A girl who went through so much, suffered so much, was not aloud to have happiness, but is still holding on.

Not without Peeta. I think. I could never hold on without him. I mean think about what ilooked like before he came. And look at me now. free as a bird. Plus Even though I love him, i'm not ready to start a relationship with him. And i'm pretty sure he knows that. I feel like he knows me better than I know myself. well maybe not. He dosn't know the girl that I was during my fathers death, the girl that I was after my fathers death, or the girl I was in the woods. no, not the girl I was. the girl I am. I feel...proud. That's new. I stop looking in the mirror to go get my arrows and my beloved bow. Then i set out for the woods. I can't help wondering what Peeta is doing and thinking.

**Peeta**

I can't stop thinking about last night. I can't stop thinking about how Katniss really loves me. She wasn't just saying it. I just need to be sure she loved me. Because I was having a minor flashback but after she said 'real' it just went away. And after what she hit me with last night, I wasn't to sure. I remember it like it was yesterday. Because it was yesterday. And I could ever foreget it even if I tried. Not like i ever would.

S_he starts to look into my eyes._

_Here we go again. I think._

_"What are you thinking about?"_

_"you."_

_"Listen Peeta." She starts_

_"About earlier…I'm sorry if I made you confused. But I don't know what came over me." She sighs then looks away._

_"What- no it's alright Katniss. We were just caught up in the moment."_

_"It's just that, well I feel like were rushing things. I mean I've barely spoken to you and now were kissing? I feel a little weird kissing you. Maybe we can get to know each other a little bit better, then maybe start kissing?"_

_When she says this it breaks my heart. But I knew this would happen. And she said we can get to know each other better then we can kiss. Maybe. She never said we would never kiss again. I put all my thoughts behind me and answer her._

_"Yeah um, I think that would be best." I try to say confidently but my voice catches at the end._

_Katniss turns away from me, but before she does I see her tears. I turn to her and look her in the eyes._

_"What's wrong?" i say as i rest my hand on her cheek. she puts her hand on mine._

_"I just feel like I keep breaking your heart time after time. I broke you heart so many times I can't even count them on my fingers!" she exclaims.'_

_"Katniss, you didn't break my heart. This is what's best for us."_

_"Oh Peeta. I know you don't want us to be 'just friends'."_

_She's right I don't. But I will go along with it, I guess._

_"Okay, so maybe I don't, but I will for your sake. I just don't want to lose you again."_

_"Again?"_

That was hard to get over when I heard the first part. But when she told me she loved me, I was done doubting her. And just like I told Haymitch, she will never know how she really feels about me. She loves me, but not in a boyfriend/girlfriend way? She only loves me as a friend?

"Yeah. Like how I did that night of the quell. When we let them separate us. Surly you remember that."

"I do. That was the biggest mistake I have ever made. No pulling out those berries was."

"Katniss don't be silly. If you had never pulled out those berries, we wouldn't be here!"

"What here with thousands dead? With my mother gone? With everyone I love gone! With Prim dead?"

"Katniss it isn't what you think."

"What? Oh, so my mother is here in twelve? Prim is alive? Those thousands that died during the war are with their wife and children, who have been missing them for months now?"

"No Katniss! With no Hunger games! With both of us alive! Free of the capital! Together! It doesn't matter what we are, or where we are. As long as we are together."

Katniss looks up at me unbelievably.

"You love me. Real or not real?" I ask, grabbing her hands and tangle them in mine.

"Wha- Peeta? I-I-"

"You love me real or not real!" I demand.

"Real." She answers. With that I smile, kiss her temples, and walk away.

That was a very good day. I got told by Katniss that she loved me twice, I got to kiss her, and I made Haymitch mad! All in a days work!

To kill time I decide to start to bake. I get all of my ingrediants out and start baking. in a little while my house starts to smell like a bakery. Ah, how I miss my old bakery. Waking up everyday to the smell of baked bread, cookies, and pastries. I really want to re open the bakery, but with all of the othr constructions going on they won't have time for me.

I decide to go get some items from the new store they set up near the hob. I also decide to pick up Katniss on my way there. Knowing her, she must have went hunting. But she should be back by now. So I go up to her house and knock on the door. Almost immediately she comes to the door.

"Hey Peeta!"

"Katniss."

"So what brings you here?"

"well I was wondering if you would like to come with me to go to the new store new near the Hob?"

"I didn't know they made a store."

"Because you only eat cheese buns and meat."

"True. Let me grab my coat then we can go."

And with that we are off.

On the way there, I try to strike up a conversation.

"So uh, how are you doing ?"

"I'm pretty good. But i'm still healing." She says.

"You?"

"Well I want to start the bakery back up."

"That's an amazing idea. So why don't you?

"Because there are too many things already being re built."

"You don't understand Peeta. You were part of the freeing of Panem. You could ask for the moon and they would have to find some way to give it to you."

Suddenly she clamps her hands over her mouth.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?

"It just that was something Gale said to me in Thirteen. When we were in the supply cabinet after watching your first intrveiw.

I feel a flashback coming on but i need to hold it down, for Katniss's sake. And hold it down I do. I am getting better at this, just like said.

"I just with I could remember all ofthe people who have exited my life in the past moths.

"Just like me. it's just that there are too many people to remember, too many people that I have forgoten who have died for us. Except some of them stick in my mind." Like Cato, or Finnick.

"I know. I just wish there was a way to remember them, like i remember those plants in the plant book."

I start to get and idea about how we can remember them.

"So why don't we start a book to remember them? just Like with the plant book!"

"Oh, Peeta thats a wonderful idea!"

"Thanks." I say with a smirk.

And we waste no time getting to work.


	6. under estimated

**A/N**** Hey guys! I just want to let you know I will be postisting every two days! Love the reveiws!**

**Peeta**

After Katniss and I order all of the stuff for the book,I go home. I decide to take a visit to the old Bakery. I walk to the little ash that is left and thats when I see it. My family photo. I have no idea how this survived the fire. When I saw the Bakery in the video the rebels shot, I didn't see thought makes me sit next sit the ash piles,with my hands in my face as the tears begin to come in hard and fast.

I haven't had time to grieve my family, as I was trying to stay strong for Katniss. But now is the time to grieve. I sit there,and cry until I have the courage to lookup when I hear someone call my name. When I do, I see many people whatching and staring at me as Katniss call my name again and then looks at the crowd.

"What? You've never seen someone cry ovr the loss of one person? Well guess what! He lost his whole freaking family! Four people! So stare all you want! Just know that this boy is strong. To be able to just cry when he lost his whole family? If I lost my mother I Would run into the woods and never come back. She is all I have you can count on it." Katniss says as she runs over to me.

"Are you okay?"

"The question is are you okay? That was some speech."

"Well it's true. I only lost Prim. You lost everyone."

"You lost your father too." I point out. "And I didn't lose you."

Katniss smiles at this.

"Yeah. You didn't. And you never will. now will you stay with me?"

"Always."

Her smile widens as she leans in and kisses me on the lips. She tastes sweet, like cheese buns. I smile when she pulls back.

"What happened to 'moving too fast'."

"It went away. I love you. I really do. I don't know what I would do if I lost you. I would go crazy. Not having you around to comfort me. You saw how I was when you were gone."

"Well i am here now. And trust me, I have no intention of leaving you."

"Hey Peeta," Katniss says. "You love me. Real or not real?"

I Smile and kiss her softly. "Real. Realer than you could ever know. I love you so much Girl on fire."

I say using the old term.

"I love you too, boy with the bread. You know what fire plus bread equals? Toast!"

She smiles and I can't help is so funny at times. I look up at her eyes. Nice and grey, With those seam eyes. She leans in for one more kiss, and she stays there for a long time. It gets so long that we begin to hear whistles and someone shouts "Good job!" We both blush, as we forgot they were there.

We stand up and head home. I have had enough sorrow for one day. I will come back when I can stay in one whole peice. For now I will just draw blue prints for the new Bakery. Peeta's Bakery. No, Peeta and Katniss's Bakery. I like the idea. Katniss talking takes me back to our world.

"So why were you at the bakery?"

"Well Ijust wanted to grieve ya' know?"

"Yeah I do. I'm so sorry Peeta."

"It wasn't your fault, Katniss."

"Well hijacked you doesn't seem to think so."

I instantly know what she means. How back in Thirteen I called her a mutt and said the fire was her fault. I must have had a really hurt look on my face because she tries to make it sound less hurtful.

"I'm sorry Peeta. I didn't mean it like that!"

"No. It's alright. You are right after all."

"No it's not alright! I am the one who caused all of this! If I had just died in the first games Your family would be alive, this district would not need to be rebuilt! I caused all of this Peeta! I caused thousands to die! All of the sorrow people are feeling is because of me."

"Do we need to go over this again Katniss? All of the building is worth it! The people died so we don't have to go to the games, so we can live a life, and not have little kids dropping dead from hunger! You changed Panem, whether you want to admit it or not. Without you the rebellion would have never happned. And we wouldn't be together now."

"The boy does have a point sweetheart." Haymitsh says as he comes over.

"Without you we would still be livng in poverty. We would be under capital rule. Most people say that you were just the face, And everyone else was doing the work, but truth be told we would never have had the chance to start and uprising with out your defiance of the capital with those berries. Don't ever under estimate yourself."

Haymitch says as he walks away taking a swig from his bottle.

"Crazy man." Katniss mutters.

"No he's right. Relax, you've earned it."

"By killing kids!"

"Katniss you didn't kill that many kids."

"That many? Let's see I killed Glimmer and that girl from four with the bees, I shot Marvel, I killed Cato, and in the second games I killed Gloss. All careers! And let's not forget the good ole' war! I killed Coin with that arrow, I killed that capital lady during the war, and I might as well have killed Finnick! I was the one who threw the holo when the mutt was about to rip his head off!

All of sudden all I can see is Katniss throwing the holo, killing Finnick.

"Peeta? Peeta!" I hear Katniss calling my name, but she sounds so far away. Like she is in another world. The venom takes over my whole body and I can't control my self anymore.

"Your a ,mutt! You killed Finick and all of those poor kids! Your MUTT! How could you?You killed all of those people during the killed my family! MUTT!"

"No Peeta I didn't! It's not real! I didn't It was snow! You know that." Please come back to me! Stay with me."

I feel her touch my hand. I push it away and take off running. To where I don't know. I can't do anything but let the venom take over my body as I run past the crowd that is still there, past the bakery, and to the fence surrounding twelve. I her Katniss calling my name.

"Peeta! Not real it's not real! I'm sorry!" She yells to me.

"What are you still staring at! He is hijacked! You have no idea what he is going through you stupid-"

"Whats going on? Haymitch yells.

"I don't know! Peeta had a flashback and then he ran away. He went to the fence I think."

"Then why are you still here?"

"Because this dumb crowd!" I hear foot steps coming in my dirction as I run into the woods by finding a hole.

"Haymitch we need to stop him! This is wild dog season! They will kill him with his leg! Stay here while I get my bow." I turn around and see Katniss sprinting with alot of speed.

_Wow she must care if she is going that fast._ I think.

_She does not Peeta! She is just very eger to kill you. So she can win. She killed your hole family. Now all that is left is you! _The voice in my head screams.

I turn around and see three wild dogs in front of me. I see their sharp teeth and freak out.

"Katniss You might want to hurry!" Haymitch yells as Katniss runs back to us.

"Shh. Don't move they won't move if you don't."

She arms he bow with two arrows and I know she is trying to kill me. I run toward her to knock her down before she kills me when Haymitch grabs me with alot of strength as the wild dogs start coming. More of them come out of nowhere. Katniss is now very alert as she turns into Katniss Everdeen the hunter. She gets hits in eyes, throats and hearts as they all drop dead. There is one huge one that comes straight at her. She is out of arrows. Suddenly I snap out of my hijacking state and run over to her with all my strength and jump in front of her as the wild dog is about to jump on her. Instead it jumps on me. Thats the last thing I remember before I blackout.

"What happened?" I ask as I sit up in my hospital bed.

"You saved my life. If that wild dog would have jumped on me, it would rip appart my frail body. But since you are very strong and tall, the wild dog only got to you stomach, and then i got my knife out and stabbed it."

"How did I get out there?"

"Well you were having a full blown flashback and you ran out there. Haymitch and I followed you and then the wild dogs came. I killed them all then ran out of arrows."

"I am so sorry Katniss."

"Sorry for what, Peeta? For showing me that even when you are hijacked you would still give your life for me? I love you so much."

"I love you too."

A doctor comes in the room and tells me that I am free to go.

"What do you want to do?"

"Right now I just want to rest."

She walks me up to my room, where i fall aslep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

**A/N**** I didn't even have any idea what I would write for this chapter! I just kept it going. I have so many ideas for this story so stay tuned.**


	7. Peeta's past and jealousy's future

**A/N Hey guys! So I know I said I would post every two days, but I have been getting some writers block and I realized that I might need a little more than two days...Please forgive me!**

**Katniss**

I have been thinking about what happend with Peeta last night. It all kinda makes sense, with him having a flashback and all. But the thing that doesn't make sense is why he would run to the district twelve fence.

_Maybe he was trying to protect me. I said myself that I loved him and knew he loved me because even when he was hijacked he faught the shiny images._

"No." I try to shake the thought from my head. Of course I always knew he loved me. I didn't need some flashback to prove it. In this case, him having a flashback should have made things worse. But they didn't. Because he loves me. And I love him I think.

"No!" I scream at myself again. There should be no 'I think' about this. I know I love him, because I have told him that multiple times. I just don't know in which way I love him. At first I convinced myself that we were moving too fast, then I kissed him...Not that I didn't like it, Because it was nothing short of amazing.

I want to kiss him, and I want to love him, but I don't want him to think that I have changed my mind about getting married or having children. I have already changed my mind about loving someone again. I was afraid to love again after I lost half my family. I was afraid that if I did love again that I would lose them too.

Ugh. How could Peeta love such a broken, mentaly unstable, confused, stubborn girl? Why would he love me when he could have had a stable girl? How has he had a crush on me for almost 13 years? Usually crushes go away. But maybe it's like father like son. But maybe not in a way. His father loved my mother, but he let her get away. Maybe Peeta didn't want to make the same mistake of letting me go. And he almost did. If they had picked two other kids on reaping day and Peeta never talked to me, I either would end up all alone and angry, or Gale and I would have married.

Gale. It's been a while since we have spoken. I still blame him for...her death even though some part of me tells me I shouldn't. Another part tells me that I shouldn't refer to my dear sister as 'her' anymore. She deserves her name at least. No. She deserves more than anyone can ever give. If I could have given her my life and spared her, no not _her_, Prim, From burning up and to give her everything she deserves, I would no doubt about it. She should be living instead of me.

Yeah, Prim should have all of this. This huge house, a guy who cares so much about her, and a happy life. Not me. But I know that where ever Prim is, she is thinking the exact opposite. That I should have all of this when I shouldn't.

I fall onto the couch, crying over Prim. I curse myself to how I can cry myself out and lose all of my energy over my sister, when Peeta can loose his whole family and still be strong enough for me. Peeta. Another person to add to my list of things that Prim should have instead of me. As if on cue, Peeta walks through my front door. I thought he just wanted to rest, or at least that's what he told me he wanted.

"Katniss?" He calls out. I decide not to answer, as he will find me in less than a second. He doesn't waste any time.

"Katniss are you alright?" He asks as he sits next to me on the couch. I try to hide my tears but I can never hide anything from him.

"Katniss whats wrong?"

"Why do you love me? Why did you ever? Why did you give me everything that I don't deserve?" I answer his questions with questions of my own.

"Wh-What? I Love you because No matter how hard the circumstances you always find a way. I love you because, well I can't explain it. I just love you so much, more than you think. You complete me."

"I cause you pain. And you didn't answer the other questions."

"Well let's see. Why did I ever love you? You were breath taking. Beautiful. I wanted to make you happy. I wanted to make you happy, while making myself happy, by loving you, and knowing you love me. And why did I give you all of the things that you don't think you deserve when you do? First of all because I love you. And you deserve this. You went through two Hunger Games and a rebellion. You deserve happiness."

I sigh at his answer maybe, just maybe I do deserve this. Peeta loves me. He really does. But one questions tugs at the back of my mind.

"Did you ever love any other girl?"

He sighs then takes a deep breath as if weighing his options out.

"No. I never did. Sure, I may have had some girlfriends and thought I loved them, but I never stopped thinking about you. I never gave up hope that you and I could really, truly love eachother. Like we do now."

I stop to think about this. So he had girlfriends? I wonder if he ever kissed them. Well of course he did! He's 'fricken hot! With his long blonde hair that is just curly enough to be cute, and those blue eyes...

I lean in and close the space between us. I feel his hands rub my back as I grip his cute blonde curls. All I can think about is how all of those girls hearts were crushed when they found out Peeta loved me the whole time he was with them. I get jealous as I think about how he has had girlfriends and kissed them, where as I on the other hand, have only kissed Gale and Peeta, and Peeta was is my only boyfriend.

But I am not ashamed. I was only that one seam girl who hunts illeagaly and sits with the mayor's daughter. And Peeta was the Merchant boy with alot of friends and girls noticing him. As jealousy runs through my veins, I try to think of where those girls are now. And how the guy that they thought 'loved' them is now kissing me, that one Seam girl with all of his life.

I can barely breath as Peeta kisses me like he will never see me again. But you can never be too sure...

That's the last thought I get before Haymitch bursts into the living room, seeing me and Peeta making out on the couch. We break apart, blushing and gasping trying to catch our breath as neither of us wanted to be the first one to let go.

"I'm not sure if you were getting it on or choking each other breathing like that."

Damn Haymitch and his sex jokes.

"We were doing neither, Haymitch." Peeta says as he runs his finger through his hair, seeming as I gripped it with all of my life.

"Yeah okay. That's what they all say."

"Haymitch why are you here?" I snap getting right to the much needed to get to point.

"Looks like your sex mood wore off. I blame you, Peeta."

Peeta blushes feircely while Haymitch laughs his head off as I come to his defense.

"For your information Haymitch, we were uh, um we were um..." I stutter trying to come up with an explanation with out plain out saying, 'We were kissing eachothers lips off. Perfect timing. way to ruin the moment.' What great help to Peeta I was.

"Yeah I know what you were doing. Spare me the details. I came in here to get something to drink. The train with my drinks on them are being delayed for traveling issues. Bull shit if you ask me but you got any bottles to spare? Oh and Peeta, I already checked you house."

"Wow you must be desperate."

"I am. So Sweetheart, can you hook me up?"

I roll my eyes as I go to the kitchen and look under the cabinets, where I find five bottles for Mr. Drunk ass here.

"Here." I say thrusting the bottles at Haymitch.

"Thanks. I'll be back."

"I bet you will be." I mutter knowing he will not be.

"I heard that."

"I wasn't trying to be discreet!"

"I know! Your not very good at that. You proved that today Sweetheart." He says as he closes the door behind him.

"Now where were we?" Peeta asks as I sit back down.

"Somewhere special." With that He kisses me and I can't resist grabbing his hair as I think about those girls he kissed...

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN So this whole chapter was in Katniss's POV (Point of veiw) because I felt like I was mainly focused on Peeta. I brought Haymitch in this one and had him crack a few jokes to spice things up. But don't worry about Katniss and Peeta, their relationship will remain simple. Things will get lemony in the next few chapters though...**


	8. New bakery and annoying Capital Women

**Peeta**

After leaving Katniss's house and going to mine, I got a call from the re-building crew and my Bakery can be built now and they need me to come by to show them my plans, and that I should head there now. I get very excited about this. Yeah, I know it's just a place to get fresh baked goods for some people, but to me it's my family's memory, and it's my future. Even if the rebelion had never happened, which I'm glad it did, I would have become a baker anyway. Baking to me is like hunting to Katniss. Or like Katniss because both Katniss and the Baking help calm me, make me use extreme concentration, and they are both something I love and have been doing since I can remember.

_Who knew Katniss had so much related to bread?_ I'd better not mention this thought to Katniss or she might cook me for dinner instead of her rabbits. Or better yet, just shoot me through the heart with an arrow. That would go much quicker. I grin at that. She would do both of those things if she didn't love me so damn much. Speaking of Katniss, I wonder if she will go with me to show the crew my designs. I really hope she does, so I can have someone to stop me from bursting open with joy as rainbows surround my face and stars dance about on my head.

I cross the lawn to her house and as I walk across the grass I can't get over how green the grass is even though no one ever watered it. I stop walking to think about if the grass is fake. I start walking again as I push the thought from my mind because if the grass was fake, how would I be planting a garden in my backyard? And how would those Primroses I planted still be alive? I stop again, because now that I think about it, no one has ever watered the grass since...well never. So how the hell is it still this green? I finally start walking again after coming to a conclusion about chemically engineered grass. It is the Capital after all. Grass that stays green for 75 years is nothing compared to what else they can do.

_Like come up with a bullshit punishment for rebelling 75 years ago._

It feels like 75 years before I finally reach Katniss's house even though it is right next to mine. I don't waste any more time as I knock on her door. No more than a second later she comes to the door like she was expecting me to come to her house. She looks beautiful in a light blue top that flows out at right above her waist with a lace back and black fitting jeans. Even dressed caual she looks beautiful as ever. She flashes me her million dollar smile, which in relality is priceless to me. Her hair is in her usual braid. Dazzling is what she is.

"-Brings you here?"

"What?" I just realized that I was so lost in thought I was no idea what the hell she just said. Damn Katniss has to be so pretty!

"I said 'what brings you here'! Were you not listening?"

"How can I listen to what your mouth is saying when the rest of you is screaming 'Gorgeous' and 'Kiss me'?"

"I don't know but I wouldn't mind that last part..."

I get what she is saying and lean in to kiss her. I get her a little peck on the lips then leave a trail of kisses on her neck and collarbone. Even though I have to be planning the Bakery, the more kisses I give her the less she complains.

"Peeta!" She play fully swats at me. "Were in publ- ooh right there."

"Where?" She points to a spot on the lower left side of her neck and I kiss that spot repeadily. I don't stop because it feels so damn good. She sighs a sigh of relief as I can almost see worries floating away from her.

"Okay Peeta I don't need any...love marks because Haymitch would kill me! Why did you come here? And I know it wasn't to make out with my neck."

Right. I had forgotten about the Bakery. But making out with her neck is fun so I'm going to need this to carry on later.

"Uh right. But don't doubt for a second that I wouldn't come over here for that reason."

"I don't. And i'm not complaining..."

"Okay well the re-building crew called me because they have enough supplies and time to rebuild the Bakery! They want me to show them my plans for it, and I want you to come with me."

"Oh that's great Peeta! Of course i'll come." A devilish grin crosses her face. "But only if you promise to kiss my neck like that again. That was...hot!"

I didn't need to be told twice.

**Katniss**

I head down to the Bakery with Peeta, and I can litterally see bright lights surrounding him. He looked so happy, no he was so happy for his parents Bakery to start up again. But this time, difference would be that his family is gone, the second floor will no longer be his home, and his sad excuse for a mother is gone. If she ever lays a hand on Peeta again, and well is alive, I would not hesitate to shoot her through the heart, or rip her heart out with my bare hands. Too bad she isn't alive. I would love to see the look on her face again after last time...

_It was a few weeks after the victory tour and Peeta had left to go to the Bakery To visit his family. I really wanted some cheese buns that day, but Peeta had ran out of them. So I went to the Bakery to see if the had any there. I walk in front of the Bakery doors only to see Peeta's mother slap him and Peeta just stand there shocked. Anger rises up inside me as I question why she would hit Peeta when he was much bigger than she was. But Peeta would never do a thing like that. _

_I let the anger control me as I angrily push the doors open and yell, "Get you 'freaking hands off him."_

_The rest of his family, including his two brothers and his father just stand there watching. I suddenly get even angrier I hop over the counter and run to his mother, grabbing her by her shoulders and pushing her from in front of Peeta and slamming her against the wall._

_"Get your hands off!" I yell at her. She looks very scared, suprisingly as she never shows any emotions hince the name 'The Witch'. I see a huge knife on the counter and as Peeta see me eyeing it he snaps out of his shocked state and come up to me. I pick up the knife and hold it in front of her throat. _

_"If you ever lay a hand on him again I will get my arrows and shoot you through your heart!" i'm about to stab the knife her through her neck when suddenly Peeta looks alarmed and grabs me by my waist pulling my away and grabs the knife from my hands as it clatters against the floor._

_"Katniss? Let go come on." Peeta is still grabbing me by my waist as he drags me out and i'm screaming at her and his brothers and father just watch._

_"I'll stab you through you fucking throat if you ever do that again!"_

That was a good memory. Her face was priceless. But she deserved it for hitting such a sweet guy like Peeta. Damn her.

"We are here Katniss!" I can hear the smile in his voice. How is it that he gets so excited over bread? I will never understand.

We reach the rebuilding and walk in. The rebuilding quarters is just a building where they discuss plans and you get permission to have something you want built here.

"Katniss! Peeta! Long time no see huh?"

What is this man talking about? He saw us two days ago! I'm about to say something sarcastic when Peeta gives me a look and responds before I can.

"Yes! It's always a plesure to see the head builder!" I can't help but think of the head peacekeeper that whipped Gale, or the old head peace keeper as I should say. No the dead peacekeeper. He was put on trial, like every other head, and he lost. No surprise there.

"If you would follow me we would love to see your designs!"

"And I would love to hear you stop sounding like Effie Trinket." I mutter under my breath

"What?" Thom asks. Damnit he heard me!

"What?" I say back. Daring him to question me.

"Okay then." Thom says eyeing me closely.

We follow him through a long hallway and stop at a door. I look up at Peeta and he looks like he is about to pee himself from joy.

A few hours later, I go outside to get some air. Or at least that's what I told them. I just needed to get away from all those.._.people_. Plus Peeta wasn't playing any attention to me, so he probally didn't even know I was gone. I exit the building and feel the much needed sunlight hit my face. I smile at the light, then go bck to a scowl when I hear sombody call my name.

"Katniss? Katniss Everdeen? Oh..my..god! It's the mockingjay! Lavina Will never beleive this!"

I turn at the voice and see a young Capital women, in her early twenties. She has that silly Capital accent and neon purple hair with a tight green dress that ends at her knee's decorated with butterflies.

"Uh hello?" I really don't want to talk to her, but she won't leave me alone until I do. It's like with kisses from Peeta. The difference is that we both enjoy it. In this case one of us is bursting with joy and the other one wants to grab the other persons head by their neon purple hair and rip it all out.

"Katniss Everdeen! Ooh!" Yeah it's me. I thought we already established that.

"Uh yeah. It's still the same person." She acts as if I just walked away and was replaced by someonelse.

"Can I take a picture?" Hell no. I just turn around and walk right back in the building. this lady is out of her damn mind if she thinks i'm going to take a picture with her.

Once we finish up planning the Bakery, no i mean when Peeta finishes planning the Bakery we pack up and leave. I really hope that dumb Capital lady isn't still there. My luck is not great today.

"Peeta Mellark! Ah!" She squeals. I roll my eyes. But of course the nice side of peeta has to take over.

"Hello..."

"Bitsy. Bitsy expolla." Bitchy. I like it.

"Nice to meet you Bitsy." Peeta elbows me.

"Hey Bitchy." Peeta looks at me with a look that says 'What the hell.'

"we are so sorry Bitsy. Aren't we Katniss."

"Yes I um, was thinking about my...friends nickname."

"It's okay! Well I have got to be going, but see you later!"

We get to the town square before Peeta chews me out.

"Katniss that was so rude."

"I'm sorry that i'm not as nice as you." _And that I don't care._

"No more neck kisses then." He voices my greatest fear.

"Noo! I promise i'll do whatever you say just don't take away the neck kisses. They feel like heaven!"

He laughs at my failed attempt.

"Anything really? Well can I kiss you?"

"Only if you kiss me on my neck first."

I blush as he kisses me right there in the middle of town as people stare at us. I'm about to pull away when I see some looks were getting, but then Peeta finds that spot I told him about earlier and it makes my knee's weak and my heart pound out of my chest. This boy seems to know all of my weaknesses. He picks me up and carries me home while still kissing that spot. I can not love him more than I do in this moment.

**A/N**** I Hoped you liked this chapter. Just to let you know, sometimes I can post in two or three days, and sometimes it can take a week so their is no permanent schedule anymore!**


	9. Just like old times

**A/U ****Sorry for not posting! I've been caught up in school work and I was sick so pleeeeeeeeease forgive me! You will never have to wait this long again.**

**Haymitch**

I wake up to find that Peeta has left me some fresh bread, and Katniss some meat. I expect this from the boy, but Katniss? Some of his niceness must have rubbed off on her. It's surprising how nice she is when she is with Peeta. It's like a whole new Katniss. She still has her fire but it is burning at the bare minimum. She's so different from the seam girl I knew, the girl that would never be caught dead in love.

The phone rings and I grunt, hating the fact that Effie repaired it. I told her not to, but her and her little prissy ass had to. I struggle to get up, because for some reason I am covered in liquor and some other substance I think to be vomit. I walk over to the phone, or limp, and pick it up. I am not happy with the voice I hear.

"Haymitch! How have ya' been? I haven't seen you since the war!" Plutarch's Voice rings through my ears. Plutarch calling can only mean one thing.

"Yes and I like to keep it that way. What do you want?" I ask even though I already know before he responds.

"Katniss and Peeta haven't been seen in months outside of their district. We really do need to see how our little Mockingjay is doing."

Great. There is no way Katniss is going to do this. Peeta will side along with her with whatever she chooses.

"Why? Panem is in Paylors hands now. Let her play with the country for a little bit before you get them out again. They are still healing. With Katniss and the death of her sister Prim, Peeta and his…episodes. They are in no condition to be on TV. I try to buy them some time. But Plutarch doesn't play that. Damn.

"Haymitch, I don't care what you have to say. Katniss and Peeta will be camera ready in a day and that's final. They will either be needed in district four to do a interview on Finnick, or the Capital. President Paylor has already authorized this. Goodbye."

"Yeah right." I mutter to myself. After calling Paylor's assistant then after her other three guards finish questioning me I finally reach her, and she confirms Plutarch's statement. I better get this over with now.

**Katniss**

My day started out great. After Peeta carried me home last night, I had no nightmares. Then I woke up to pancakes and cheese buns. Then my whole day started to crumble after Haymitch told me the news.

"Mmmm is that…Pancakes!" I yell hopping down the stairs two steps at a time.

"Yep. And you're favorite."

"Oh no you didn't! Oh my god I love you so much right now!" I say running up to Peeta and giving him a kiss on the cheek. He chuckles and gives me a weird look.

"Why because I made you breakfast?" He asks me and kisses me on the neck when I wrap my arms around his waist and I can feel his abs. wow.

"No. well yes, that and because you're the best person I could ever have!"

"Okay Katniss. Well can you stop hugging me and set the table?"

"Yeah yeah okay."

I let go and set down the table. Breakfast is soon ready and we sit down and eat, not speaking very much. Well I don't speak very much. Peeta talks on and on about the bakery while I stuff my face with pancakes and cheese buns.

A little while later, after my third serving and a warning from Peeta, Haymitch bursts in the room.

"Hey Haymitch! Why don't you sit for breakfast? Bet you haven't had that in a while."

Peeta and I burst out laughing as Haymitch lets out a simple 'haha'. He looks like he is about to decline, but thinks better of it.

"Yeah sure. I got something to tell you guys."

"Yeah well I'm sure it can wait. This stuff is delicious!"

"Yes I'm sure it is. Is that why there is two empty plates next to you?"

"Yeah. She eats likes she never going to eat again." Peeta says.

"Yeah well a wise man once told me 'you only live once'."

"Well that's not true. I lived twice. Finnick restarted my heart after I died in the arena." Peeta decides to one-up me. Okay then.

"Shut up Peeta!" I throw my spoon at him. "You know what I mean." Peeta laughs when I hit him in his forehead with the spoon then rolls his eyes at Haymitch.

"Whatever you two. Can I share my story now?" Haymitch asks.

"No way! Did Haymitch just ask us if he can do something? Wow your getting old." I say laughing my head off with Peeta.

"Yeah well Plutarch has requested that you two do an appearance at the Capital, or in Four."

All of a sudden the laughter stops. What the hell? No damn way.

"No way in hell will I ever do that. Forget Plutarch. Tell him to go shove his dumb ideas up his-"

"Katniss!" Peeta interrupts. "You don't say that about Plutarch."

"Oh what are you going to do? Put me in a time out?"

"Katniss, Don't! Haymitch even though Katniss put it in a…different way, I agree with her. I can not go back to the Capital. I will go off on every thing I see there. I'll look at a wall and go off."

I'm glad Peeta agrees with me, but I am more worried about his flashbacks than he seems to be.

"Yeah and my mother is in Four, and if she's tries to talk to me, I have some choice words for her." I do not want to see the women who left me in district twelve because she couldn't face it. Pathetic.

"Yeah well you don't have a choice. Paylor authorized it. Good luck. Be ready by tomorrow. No arguing Katniss." With that he walks out and attempts to slam the door, but instead smashes his fingers and lets out a string of curse words that would make me laugh if I weren't so mad.

"What are we going to do Peeta? We have to go."

"We could run." I'm utterly shocked by this. Run? No way. We didn't run before the quell and I'm not going anywhere.

"No way! We didn't run before the quell, and were not running now. And we have never been the ones to run away from our problems."

"Yeah I guess. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Well I guess we'd better get packing."

"Yeah." Peeta says it so sadly that I can't resist the urge to walk over to him and kiss him. So I do.

"Hey, it's not the end of the world. Plus this time we won't have to fake something to save a life. Speaking of that, if Plutarch goes missing, I had nothing to do with it." I say putting both of my hands next to my head and winking. He laughs and says, "Yeah well just don't assassinate anymore presidents."

Assassinate? Coin was not important.

"Please Peeta. Don't kid yourself. That woman was the girl version of Snow. The only difference between them is the fact that I didn't kill Snow."

"Yeah, why didn't you? Why did you shoot coin instead?"

"Because after the Capital fell, I saw him in his garden and he reminded me about something we agreed to before the Victory tour. We both agreed not to lie to each other. I didn't trust him, but I don't back down on my word. So I couldn't kill him because of what we agreed to. So I killed the woman who has been making me miserable since the start. That bitch Coin, who killed Prim with those bombs that…_Gale _designed."

"It wasn't his fault Katniss. He didn't know what Coin was using it for."

"Yeah well he designed it. And he became 'heartless Gale, who doesn't give a damn about Katniss's feelings and lets his hate for the Capital stand in the way.' Between the way you two were acting, I felt so alone." I say with a sigh. "Prim was my only friend. I would lie in my hospital bed too afraid to sleep because of the nightmares I had every night, then I would roam around thirteen and hide in things like closets and storage rooms.

"Oh Katniss, I am so sorry."

"Yeah well it's not your fault. So, let's get packing." I say leaving the room. But before I do, I hear Peeta whisper. "I'm so sorry I acted like that Katniss. I never knew what you were going through. I love you."

When I hear that, I whisper back, "I love you too." More than he can ever know.


	10. Your lucky I dont have my bow and arrows

**A/N so iv'e been thinking about where I want this story to go, and I would love to have some direction from you guys to see what you want, so remember to reveiw and say what you think!**

**Katniss**

After whispering back to Peeta, I head upstairs to start packing for the trip to the Capital. We got a call from Haymitch saying we were not needed in Four. Figures. Who needs a mockingjay in Disrtict Four? I am relived and worried at the same time. I don't have to visit my mother, or relive those awful memories. But then I have to go to the Capital, and relive the worst moments of my life. The games. Coin. Snow. War. Death. Finnick. Peeta's hijacking. P-Prim and her...passing. I am still not over the death of Prim. The harder I try not to think of her, the more I see her in everything around me. It's like her spirit is roaming around everywhere I look. In the flowers. In the kitchen. In Peeta's eyes. In me. Her spirit is in me the most. I still haven't worked up the courage to go in her room yet.

I sigh and walk into my room. It looks awful. There are sheets thrown all over the floor, clothes spread around everywhere, shoes, socks and pillows on the floor. But none of those things impact me as much as the photo of me, Peeta and Prim on the day that Peeta was teaching Prim how to bake and I happened to walk in on them. In the picture I have a bowl of cake batter in my hands and a spoon covered in the batter, and some of the batter is on Peeta's face. He's smiling down at me, and I am smiling up at him too. Prim has chocolate icing all over her cheeks and nose.

I remember that day all to well; it was a few weeks after the Victory tour. Prim could not stop talking about how excited she was to be baking. Peeta was coming over to show her. I had rolled my eyes and left the room because I am a terrible baker. I almost burned down Peeta's house trying to make cheese buns. But I was also secretly glad he was coming over because I wanted to see him. After smelling something really delicious coming from downstairs, I decided to join them. Peeta saw me and smiled, then asked if I could mix the batter without burning the house down. He got playful smack for that. While I was doing that, Peeta make a joke about how terrible I was at baking, so I threw the spoon at him. We both stared laughing, and we forgot about Prim. It wasn't until she asked if the icing was good that we looked at her, and her face was covered in icing. My mom had taken the picture after saying what a mess we made. But even she couldn't help laughing.

I grab the photo and fall onto the bed. I lay there and sob, remebering how happy we were, and how we will never experience another moment like that again. I cry for I don't know how long, quickly forgetting about packing for the trip. I cry knowing that I will never see Prim again. I will never see that happy smile on her face, I will never see her to blonde braids. I will never see a happy moment like that again. I just lie there, silent tears streaming down my face. I hear someone's laughter coming from downstairs. Well I'm glad their happy because i'm not. I start to feel a little weird, wondering who is downstairs until Peeta comes in the room.

"Hey Katniss, is my comb in you ro-" He takes one look at me and comes rushing over.

"Katniss? Are you alright? Are you hurt? Katniss?" He is now sitting next to me. I don't answer him. I don't have enough energy to. So I just lay there while he asks me if i'm alright. At some point he picks me up and lays my head on my pillow, tucks me in, and kisses my nose. Then he leaves as I drift off.

**Peeta**

After leaving Katniss's house I go to my room and start packing. The guilt feeling never leaves me. I feel guilty knowing what I put Katniss through. She deserves more than I could ever give her. Everyday I look back at what I did and I feel ashamed knowing what I did. The only thing more frustrating than knowing what i did, is when people say that it wasn't my fault. Like yeah, I know the Capital hijacked me. But that would have never happened if I didn't let the rest of our alliance separate us because that's where it all went wrong.

I've heard Haymitch say 'It wasn't your fault boy. You did what you could do'. But what I could do was not good enough. I curse myself everyday for that mistake. But I also try to remember the good things, like how Katniss and I are in a... somewhat steady relationship. I smile at the word relationship ignoring the word somwhat. And I know the love is real. No more pretending. No more pretending to love the Capital. If we are asked bout the Capital, Katniss will gladly tell them that the capital can go to hell in the blink of the eye. Speaking of Katniss, I think I left my comb at her house. Sure I don't really need it, but I need a reason to go check on her.

I walk in her house, and it still looks the same as when I left. But more importantly, her only suitcase is still sitting next to the table in the living room. I start to worry about her even more than I already was. Why hasn't she used her suitcase? Why is her favorite pair of shoes still by the door? I think I might have started to hyper-venilate. I take deep calming gulps of air to try to calm myself down. There are many reasons why she could still have her suitcase downstairs. All of a sudden I start to laugh. I am acting so foolish. I'm worrying about Katniss because of a suitcase? I worry way to much. I start to make my way upstairs to her room. I think I hear crying.

"Hey Katniss, is my comb in your ro-" I stop mid sentence and run over to her. She is lying on her side with tears streaming down her face.

"Katniss? Are you alright? Are you hurt? Katniss?" I ask but all she does is lie there. I keep talking, but I dont think she is listening to me.

"Katniss? are you alright? you alright? Please answer me." I keep trying to get her to answer but all she does is sit there with a blank look on her face. I look down to see what is in her hand, and see the day I was teaching Prim to bake. Then I know why she had this breakdown. She still isn't over Prim. No, Not in the least bit.

I pick her up and wipe her tears off with my thumb, tuck her into her bed, and kiss the tip of her nose, then I leave her house. I stop and turn back around, going back to her house and start packing up her things. It's the least I can do. I know how stressed she is about Prim, and going to the Capital. For a minute I start to wonder if she was worried about me. I quickly push the thought away. If she was worried, she would have said something. After packing her things, I leave her house for real this time, and go to mine. I decide a nap won't kill me. But thats a funny thing to say, since alot of other things I thought couldn't, can.

**Katniss**

I wake up grumbling at the person who is shaking me awake. I'm about to yell at them to go away, until I see the blue eyes. I immediately soften up.

"Hello, gorgeous." Peeta says. Ugh. How can he think of me like that when I look like this. My hair is in a messy half braid, my clothes are rumpled, and I have some tears on my face.

"Only you can think i'm beautiful when I look like this." I say voicing my thoughts.

"I didn't call you beautiful. I called you gorgeous. But you are gorgeous, stunning, beautiful, breathingtaking, heart stopping, chest pounding and have the most amazing eyes."

I just roll my eyes and stand up.

"No, you Peeta Mellark have the most beautiful eyes. I love the blue in your eyes." I take two steps foward and I am standing right in front of him.

"You are breathtaking and all of those other things you said about me. " My forehead in now touching his.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." I close what little space there was between us. My hands automatically go to his hair, and his hands slide up my back. I sigh and lean into him, while never breaking the kiss. His lips feel like a cool glass of ice cold water on a hot summer day. Our tongues collide and dance about in our mouths. Peeta breaks off the kiss. I am about to protest, but quickly forgive him when he starts to place soft kisses up and down my neck. He nibbles on my ear and I let out a sigh and let my head fall back. Just as he finds that spot I like, the phone goes off. Peeta lets go of me and raises his eyebrows at me. Annoyed, I yell, "WHAT THE HELL!?" I angrily stomp to the phone while Peeta laughs his head off at me. I snatch the phone off of the holder.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?"

"Didn't get enough beauty sleep, sweetheart?" I hear Haymitch laughing at his own stupid joke.

"Haha. What do you want? You interrupted a very good moment." I am so annoyed at his timing.

"Let me guess. You two were going at-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP HAYMITCH!" I scream into the phone, cutting him off.

"For your information, Peeta and I are not in that part of our . I do not plan on having kids anytime soon and Peeta is too nice to lay a hand on me until I say so. We have not and will not for a long time, have sex."

"Yeah whatever. That's what I said. Are you ready? The train is coming in ten minutes. Be ready to get on in it. And try not to tell the Capital how much you hate them." No way. I'm not trying to save anybody's life, so I will be glad to tell the Capital off.

"Well I am not fighting for my life, or anybody elses life for that matter, so no. I will tell them exactly what I think of them. If they don't like it, they can shove it up their ass." I slam the phone back into the wall and stomp upstairs.

"Who was it? It sounded like you weren't very happy." Peeta ask when I stomp in the room.

"Yeah well I wasn't. And it was Haymitch. A trains coming in ten."

"Oh and so i'm to nice to lay a hand on you? Hmm we'll see about that." Peeta grabs me and pulls me into his arm. He kisses me feircly and it feels so good that I have to stop it so we won't miss our train, although I wouldn't mind if we did.

"Okay Peeta. So your not so nice. And a very good kisser. The train is coming so get out so I can change."

"Without me?" Peeta asks jokingly.

"Peeta!" I playfully swatt him./

"Hey i'm only kidding. Now hurry up." He leaves the room and I hurriedly rebraid my hair and put on some black pants and a green shirt.

"Okay, i'm ready. Let's go." I say walking downstairs and grabbing my suitcase that seems to have packed its self. I try and give Peeta a quick kiss on the cheek, but he sweeps me into his arms and gives me a full kiss on the mouth.

"Peeta." I say looking up into his eyes. "Were gonna be late and you already proved your skills." He settles with a kiss on the tip of my nose and grabs my hand as we walk through the door. It's around six o'clock when we leave. I see Haymitch a few feet away from us, with a bottle in his hand. Peeta calls his name and waves as he comes over to us, I roll my eyes. He is to nice.

"Nice to see you, Peeta." Haymitch says then eyes me. "Not quite as nice to see, but still nice."

As we walk to the train station, Peeta and Haymitch make small talk, but I tune them out. I'm too busy looking around the new square to notice. I just startd looking at the foundation for the bakery when somthing in the corner of my eye catches my attention. When I look over, my heart stops. A few feet away frm the bakery are these statues. I didn't even realize that I stopped walking until I feel the tug on our enwitted hands. I gasp, glaring at the statues. How are they? I guess Peeta saw that I stopped, or that my mouth is hanging open, or that I tugged on his hand, because he smiles at me and starts to talk about them.

"You like them? They came in this morning. There is one of the important people of the rebellion. Theres one of me, you, Haymitch for some reason, Gale has one here and in two theres-" I tune him out because there is only one that I looks at. I see the statue of a girl, with blonde braids, and her medical uniform on, and the shirt tucking out of the back. Like a little duck. Peeta sees what i'm staring at and shuts up. He gives my hand a comforting squeez.

"Your sister was important. After all, she was a rebel medic. And the Mockingjay's sister. Everybody loved her."

I just nod my head and keep walking like I understand what he's saying. I do understand. But who gave them permission? Not me. I would have never approved. She is my sister after all. I decide to let it go. Just this once.

We board on the train and I can't help the funny feeling I get when i'm in this train. We all start walking around tying to get a feel for it. I notice Peeta looking in weird places like corners of windows, and the ceilings. Something tells me he's not searching for a feel of the place. We looka round for a few more minutes. I sit down at a table and the funny feeling still isn't gone. I trail my finger over a dent in th table and gasp. I now know what that funny feeling was. What the hell?

**Peeta**

Katniss has been very...different lately. It's almost like she is happy and glad to have comfort. Maybe I really am making an impact on her. On the way to the train, Katniss stops. I look behind my shoulder at her. Her mouth is wide open and she looks shocked. I follow her gaze the new statues they put in this morning. I noticted when I went to buy some flour at the new market. I won't tell her, but I think she looks hot in her mockingjay suit and her bow in her hand, with her arrows over her shoulder, and her long braid going down her arm. So I just smile at her.

"You like them? They came in this morning. There is one of the important people of the rebellion from our district. Theres one of me, you, Haymitch for some reason, Gale has one here and in two theres Prim and Someone else I don't recognize. Pretty cool huh? You know, you would have saw them if you actually go to the square." I look at her and see the sorrow and anger in her eyes and follow her glare to the statue of Prim. I don't know why she is surprised. Everybody knew Prim. Everybody loved her too.

"Your sister was important. After all, she was a rebel medic. And the Mockingjay's sister. Everybody loved her." I tell her and squeeze her hand.

We board the train and It feels kinda...well weird. We walk around the train to get a feel for it. Well that's why _their_ walking around. I'm looking for hidden cameras. Our days of having to be cautious of what we say are over. What else can we say that the Capital doesn't already know anyway? I still check. When I'm satisfied, I lean agaist the wall. My hands rub the wall and I come across a panel, seperating the two walls. I see a scratch on the inside of each panel. Thats when I realize satisfied is not the only thing i'm feeling. Suddenly a bunch of memories form in my brain and demand my attention.

_"So, you're supposed to give us advice." Katniss says to Haymitch over breakfast._

_"Here's some adivce." He says. I expect him to start talking about stratigies to help us survive n the arena. I couldn't be more wrong. He decides to go in a different direction. "Stay alive." He starts to laugh, and each second it lasts the more anger builds up inside me. How is he supposed to help me keep Katniss alive when he's making jokes? We'll see who's laughing._

_"That's very funny," I knock the glass out of his hands. He can't be drunk if he's going to help me keep Katniss alive and get her home he looks at me for a moment then punches me square in the jaw. He sure is strong for a drunk guy. I'm starting to think that was all for nothing when I see him reaching for the bottle. I look up and see Katniss drive the knife into the table between his hands and the table, barely missing his fingers. I think she missed on purpose because i've seen what she does with a knife._

"_Did I actually get some fighters this year?" I her Haymitch say._

_ When I go to put some ice on my face, Haymitch tells me to leave it. He's giving advice now, so thats good. He asks if Katniss can hit anything else with the knife and I immediately know that it is a yes. She pulls the knife out of the table and aims. She throws it so fast that I don't have time to duck before the knife peirces me in the chest. I fall to the ground and hear Katniss laughing at me._

I quickly shake my head as if it will clear the image from my head. I now know why this traim seems so familiar. It's the same train we had during our first games. Those bastards.

I guess Katniss realizes it too, because she gasps loudly and looks shocked. She runs her finger over the dent on the table she is sitting at.

"This was the train we rode in when we went to the games. Real or not real?" I ask. Im not doing this for my benefit, but for hers.

"R-Real. I remember this dent. This is where I stabbed the knife into the table." Katniss stares at me in disbelief. "Why would they do this? They're lucky I don't have my bow and arrows."

"Maybe they wanted us to feel like were at home?"

"At home my ass. Those stupid sick barstards." Katniss mutters.

She really needs to watch her language. I don't say anything because I know if I did, she would just say I'm not her mother and tease me. Katniss goes off to her room without another word. Haymitch goes to the kitchen to get a drink. I go to my room and get out a pencil and several sheets of paper. I sketch old memories i've had on this train. I sketch for a few hours, even though it feels like minutes. It's about ten when I finally go to bed. I just lie there, thinking. Thinking about whats going on, about what going to happen, and about how Katniss is holding up.

I start to think about asking Katniss if I can spend the night in her room. I decide to come up with an excuse to go in there. I don't have to wait long, because Katniss's screams fill the train. I get up and run to her room. I shake her softly whispering comforting words to her. Even as I try to soothe her, she continues to thrash around in my arms.

"Katniss, shh it's okay it's okay. Your safe. Shh."

Eventually she calms down and cries in my arms. We just sit there, together, enjoying eachothers company. I know eventually i'm going to have to leave, but I try not to think about it. I just sit and embrace that she will tell me when she's ready. I can't help thinking of the Victory tour, and how she was having a nightmare. And I stayed with her throughout the night.

After about an hour when I think she's sleeping, I lay her down gently and try my best to sneak out of the room. Quietness has never been my strong suit. When i'm almost at the door, I hear her quietly ask in a voice so quiet it sounds like a whisper, "Stay with ?" I think about how she hurt her heel after jumping over the fence to get home and she had sleep syrup in her. Just like then, when I whispered back to her, I do it again. So I don't hesitate when I Whisper back, "Always." And climb into bed holding her tight and regretting never coming over to answer her screams at home. I won't ever make that mistake again.


End file.
